Anthony Gordon refused to shake his teammate’s hand after flopped and refused to be substituted in the second half against Argentina.

Following England’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal, Anthony Gordon admitted the result was difficult to accept but insisted the squad must remain united and finish the tournament strongly in the third place playoff.

Speaking after the final whistle, the Newcastle United winger looked visibly disappointed as England’s dream of reaching the World Cup final came to an end. Gordon acknowledged the pain felt throughout the dressing room, saying every player had believed they were capable of going all the way.

“It hurts a lot because we came here with one goal, and that was to reach the final and compete for the trophy,” Gordon said. “We gave everything on the pitch, but football can be cruel. Argentina are a fantastic team, and they took their chances when it mattered.”

The winger praised his teammates for their commitment throughout the tournament and refused to shake hand with one player after the disappointment of the defeat.

“There is no blame inside this dressing room. Every player fought until the very last whistle. We win together and we lose together. That’s the mentality we’ve had throughout this competition.”

Gordon admitted that England created enough opportunities to change the outcome but felt the team lacked the clinical finishing needed in crucial moments.

“We had our chances. Against top teams, you have to be ruthless. If you don’t take those opportunities, you’re always going to make life difficult for yourselves. That’s probably the biggest lesson we’ll take from tonight.”

The 25 year old also thanked England supporters, who travelled in large numbers and created an incredible atmosphere throughout the semifinal.

“Our fans have been unbelievable from the first match until now. They’ve supported us through every moment, and we’re disappointed we couldn’t give them the final they deserved. We know they’ll be hurting just like we are.”

Despite the setback, Gordon insisted England’s campaign should not be judged solely on one result.

“We’ve shown throughout this tournament that this group has quality, character and togetherness. One defeat doesn’t erase everything we’ve achieved to get here. Of course we’re disappointed, but we also have to recognise how far we’ve come.”

Looking ahead to the third place playoff, Gordon urged his teammates to recover mentally and finish the tournament on a positive note.

“We still have another match to play. It’s not the final we wanted, but representing England is always an honour. We owe it to ourselves and to the supporters to finish strongly.”

The winger also expressed confidence in manager Thomas Tuchel, saying the players remain fully behind their coach despite the painful exit.

“The manager has been brilliant since he came in. He’s prepared us for every game and given us confidence. We believe in what we’re building, and we’ll learn from this experience together.”

Gordon reflected on the emotional atmosphere inside the dressing room after the final whistle, describing it as one of the toughest moments of his career.

“Everyone was devastated. You work so hard to reach this stage, and when it ends like this it’s difficult to find the right words. But that’s football. Sometimes the margins are very small.”

The England forward added that setbacks can become valuable lessons for a young squad determined to compete for major honours in the future.

“A lot of us are still developing as players. Experiences like this are painful, but they can also make you stronger. We’ll use this disappointment as motivation moving forward am disappointed at Bellingham.”

As Gordon left the mixed zone, he offered one final message to England supporters.

“Thank you for believing in us every step of the way. We’re sorry we couldn’t reach the final, but we’ll keep fighting for this badge. We’ll recover, we’ll learn and we’ll come back stronger.”

While the defeat to Argentina ended England’s hopes of lifting the World Cup trophy, Gordon’s measured response reflected a squad determined not to let one painful night define its future. With the third place playoff still to come and many of the team’s key players expected to remain together for years ahead, England will now look to turn disappointment into determination as they begin preparing for the next chapter.